BRONXVILLE, N.Y. – First-year
Clarise Steiner recorded the five-set single match record for digs on Friday, as the Sarah Lawrence College women's volleyball team opened the 2019 season with victories over Brooklyn College and Medgar Evers College at Campbell Sports Center. The Gryphons are off to their first 2-0 start since 2016.
IN SHORT
Sarah Lawrence (1-0) def. Brooklyn, 3-2
18-25, 25-19, 16-25, 25-17, 15-13
Sarah Lawrence (2-0) def. Medgar Evers (0-2), 3-0
25-5, 25-15, 25-4
TOP GRYPHON PERFORMERS
Steiner finished with 49 digs on the day, highlighted by a 44-dig performance against the Bulldogs. The mark surpasses the previous five-set best of 30 set by
Lauren Kilroy at Staten Island in 2016.
Melanie Coleman finished the afternoon with 25 kills, seven aces and four blocks, while
Gabrielle Hegedus (11) and Kilroy (10) each posted double-digit kills.
Isabel Pecora tallied 41 assists, 26 digs, 11 aces and seven kills, while
Camryn Sanchez and
Sarah Gartner combined for three kills, two aces and three digs in the sweep.
GAME 1: Sarah Lawrence 3, Brooklyn 2
Brooklyn, picked third in the CUNYAC Preseason Poll, scored the first seven points of the opening set en route to a 1-0 series lead. In the second game, Sarah Lawrence raced out to a 10-1 advantage, going on to tie the series at one set apiece.
The Bulldogs took a 2-1 series edge with a 25-16 decision in the third set, but the Gryphons forced a decisive fifth game with a 25-17 victory in the fourth set. In the final frame, trailing 13-12, Sarah Lawrence rallied with three unanswered points to secure the victory.
The win snapped a six-match losing streak to the Bulldogs, signaling the squad's first victory over the non-conference foe since 2012.
GAME 2: Sarah Lawrence 3, Medgar Evers 0
The Gryphons cruised to open the match, winning the opening set by a 25-5 margin. Sarah Lawrence continued to control the contest, winning the second set, 25-15, followed by a 25-4 verdict in the final frame to secure the sweep. The Gryphons scored the first 21 points of the final set.
Sarah Lawrence finished with 22 aces, including a game-high seven from Pecora.
The Gryphons have now won their last 11 meetings against the Cougars.
UP NEXT
Sarah Lawrence looks for its first 3-0 start since 2001 on Sept. 8, hosting a tri-match with Valley Forge and The King's College (N.Y.) at Campbell Sports Center.
